Jumat, 28 Agustus 2009

There are a lot of discussion as to whether children should be given homework or not. Is it enough for children having time to study at school or needing additional time in home for study after school time?

Some people claim that children do enough work in school already. They also argue that children have their hobbies which they want to do after school, such as sport or music. A further point they make is that a lot of homeworks are pointless and does not help the children learn at all.

However, there are also strong arguments against this point of view. Parents and teachers argue that it is important to find out whether children can work on their own without the support from the teacher. They say that the evening is a good time for children to sit down and think about what they have learned in school.

Furthermore they claim that the school day is too short to get anything done. It makes sense to send home tasks like independent reading or further writing task which do not need the teacher support.

I think, on balance, that some homework is good idea but that should only given at the weekend when children have more time.

Taken from http://understandingtext.blogspot.com/2009/05/reading-discussion-text.html

Kamis, 27 Agustus 2009

Indonesia is beautiful and big country. unfortunately, there are many serious problems happen in this country. Because it has many natural wealth, so since hundreds years ago many other countries want to possess Indonesia.

The population of Indonesia approximately 240.3 million people make it the world's fourth-most populous nation. you can imagine how crowded the country. The island of Java is the most populous island in the world.

Indonesia includes numerous related but distinct cultural and linguistic groups. Oh yeah... Many people in other countries think that many Indonesia's cultures are ethnically Malay. But in the fact, if you ever visited this country, you will see and understand that it is wrong. Some cultures are ethnically Malay, because there are Malay ethnic group who live in west-side of this country, that is called Sumatra. But not all people who live in Sumatra are Malay. There are other ethnic who live in sumatra, they are Batak Mandailing,Batak Karo, BAtak Toba, Batak Simalungun, Batak Pak-pak, Batak Angkola, Minangkabau, Javanesse, Melayu Deli (Malay), Nias, Aceh, and Tiong Hoa.

Since independence, Bahasa Indonesia (the national language, almost like Malay) has spread throughout the archipelago and has become the language of most written communication, education, government, business, and media. Local languages are still important in many areas, however. English is the most widely spoken foreign language.

Education is compulsory for children through grade 9. In primary school, 94% of eligible children are enrolled whereas 57% of eligible children are enrolled in secondary school.

Constitutional guarantees of religious freedom apply to the six religions recognized by the state, namely Islam (86.1%), Protestantism (5.7%), Catholicism (3%), Hinduism (1.8%), Buddhism (about 1%), and Confucianism (less than 1%). In some remote areas, animism is still practiced.

Basically, Indonesians are humble and friendly. It is because they have culture about mutual corporation (help each other) and considerate. Moreover people who live in villages, they are more kind than people who live in town or city.

Selasa, 25 Agustus 2009

Many people in the world always judge that terrorism identically with ISLAM.
That's silly!

When there was bomb in Indonesia, many tourists were cancel their visit to Indonesia. That's stupid!

I tell you about the actually happen with Indonesia. My country i s save.... The terrorism just be held by the foreigners who do not want Indonesia get tourists and investors, so the economy of Indonesia will be down. Who are them? They are some groups of loser. They do not brave attack Indonesia directly... like a chicken....

Do not believe with my statement above? you can visit my country and prove it.

Actually, now we do not care with the news about terrorism.... because we know that's only effort to destroy and divide our nation. Ask to some Indonesians about terrorism, they will said that they do not care with the provocation. They know what actually happen and hate them.

The polemic over Bali’s traditional dance, Pendet, which was claimed by Malaysia as their national dance, has urged the Temporary Attorney for Malaysian Embassy, Amran Mohamed Zain, to meet the Indonesian Culture and Tourism Minister, Jero Wacik.

Zain told reporters that the meeting was to acquire information about the Pendet dance issue which has been highly publicized by the Indonesian media.

“There has been a mistake or misunderstanding. We’ll seek a solution to solve this problem,” Zain said at the Culture and Tourism Department office on Jalan Merdeka Barat, Jakarta on Monday, August 24.

Zain was accompanied by the Director of Malaysian Tourism, Mohammad Norhisyam and Consulate Mohammad Yusuf.

He also expects the dispute would not ruin the relationship between the two countries. “Malaysia did not make any claim on the dance. It’s a private commodity,” he said.

The Malaysian government, he added, will not ignore the issue. “We will conduct an investigation to obtain the fact,” he said.

When asked whether or not the Malaysian government funded the publication of the advertisement, Zain did not answer. “I’m not in the position to explain about the matter. It requires a clarification so that there isn’t any problem emerges. We are currently doing an investigation,” Zain said.

On the ‘Enigmatic Malaysia’ ads aired by Discovery Channel, Malaysia claimed Pendet dance was part of its culture.

The TV ad was strongly protested by the Indonesians. The government, through the Minister of Culture and Tourism, sent a protest letter to Malaysia’s Cultural Minister this afternoon. Indonesia is even ready to file a lawsuit if Malaysia does not react to the action.

Indonesia disagrees with Malaysia over its repeated claim on Indonesia's cultural heritage of popular Balinese dance recently, Indonesian Culture Minister Jero Wacik said in Jakarta Monday.

Indonesia has sent a strong protest to its neighboring Malaysia over the claim on the Pendet dance on its tourism advertisement, the minister said.

The protest came after the Malaysian government used the welcome dance performed by women in Balinese costume appeared in an advertisement that was aired several times, suggesting that the dance is part of the country's cultural heritage.

The advertisement has also drawn a strong protest from Balinese.

"Today, I have written a letter of protest to the Minister of Culture of Malaysia, because of the advertisement in television about Malaysia which uses Pendet dance," Wacik told a press conference at his office.

The minister said that the dance originated from Bali and Malaysia and it could not use it without the permission from Indonesia.

"The Pendet dance can not be categorized as a gray issue," he added.

The claim by Malaysia is not the first time, as the country has done it several times in recent years, saying Indonesia's cultural heritage belongs to it, which could make the relation between the two countries up and down, he said.

The Malaysia's claims on Indonesia's heritage are the Reog Pobnorogo, an ancient tradition of dance and performance originated from Java, the song of Rasa Sayange (feeling of love) from Maluku and Batik traditional clothes.

On Saturday, Balineses took to the street, protesting against the Malaysia's advertisement.

The protesters called the government to take an intervention and a strong measure to stop such an act, as Malaysia had often claimed on Indonesia's heritage.

The pendet dance is a Balinese cultural heritage that shows artistic values and cultural symbols and as part of Hindu-Bali cultural traditions.

Every people in this world know that Pendet dance is the original dance from Bali, Indonesia since some years ago....before malaysia just claims it.

An historical scientist from Malaysia (I'm forget her name)said that Indonesia and malaysia is come from one race.... That's silly!!! I believe that she is do not graduate from her university... That is stupid opinion from educational person from malaysia. If Bali is located in Sumatra, that's may be true.... but hallo...... Bali Maluku, and Java are different and so far from malay........they are not malay!!!! please re-learn again

My boardinghouse ever lived by some malaysian students (who study in Gajah Mada University), I ever read their blog... Damn! they always called us "indon" and criticize about our nation. They think that we are stupid citizenz who always think about money. How about them? claim our cultures to interact some tourists to visit malaysia.... stupid thing! they collect money from rob our cultures......

The domain of Nyi Loro Kidul, the legendary queen of the South Seas, is Parangtritis in Central Java. Her hair is green and full of shells and seaweed, and, she holds court over sea nymphs and other creatures of the deep. She is venerated and feared by the Javanese. In fact, they never wear the colour green when entering the sea for fear of offending Nyi Loro Kidul whose hair is green!.

‘The legend of Nyi Roro Kidul herself is very popular. Before turning into a nymph,Nyai Roro Kidul was a young princess named Dewi Kandita, the daughter of King Mundangwangi and his first wife. The popularity of Dewi Kandita and her mother Dewi Rembulan was beyond doubt. They were known for their beauty, kindness and friendliness, and people loved them.

However, the misery of their lives began when Dewi Mutiara, another wife of King Mundangwangi, known locally as selir, became green with envy and grew ambitions to become the first wife, thereby deserving full affection and attention from the king.

Dewi Mutiara’s dream came true when one day she bore the son that the king had long been yearning for. Through the assistance of a witch, Dewi Mutiara made the king’s wives Dewi Rembulan and Dewi Kandita suffer from ’strange’ disease, with their bodies covered with scabies that created the odour of fish. The disease led them to be sent into exile in the forest where later Dewi Rembulan died. After a long, hard and helpless journey, the scabies-covered Dewi Kandita eventually arrived at a beach where she met a young, handsome man who promised to cure her illness.

At the request of the young man, Dewi Kandita chased after him as he ran along the beach. When she reached the water, the man disappeared and, to her surprise, all the scabies had disappeared but, strangely, she could not move her legs. Half her body, from the waist down, had turned into the body of a fish.

Since then she became a sea-nymph, and the locals believe that Nyi Roro Kidul is the manifestation of Dewi Kandita’

Senin, 24 Agustus 2009

What is report text?
It is a text which presents information about something. It also a result of systematic observation and analysis of something that have been observed.

Generic Structure of Report:
1. General classification:
Stating classification of general aspect of thing; animal, public place, plant, etc which will be discussed in general
2. Description:
Describing the thing which will be discussed in detail; part per part , customs or deed for living creature and usage for materials.

What is Recount text? It is a text which retells events or experiences in the past.

Purose:the purpose is either to inform or to entertain the audience.

There is no complication among the participants and that differentiates from narrative

Generic Structure of Recount1. Orientation: Introducing the participants, place and time2. Events: Describing series of event that happened in the past3. Reorientation: It is optional. Stating personal comment of the writer to the story

What is Analytical Exposition text?It is text that elaborates the writer‘s idea about the phenomenon surrounding.

Purpose:It is to persuade the reader that the idea is important matter.

Generic structures: 1. Thesis: Introducing the topic and indicating the writer’s position 2. Argument 1: Explaining the argument to support the writer’s position 3. Argument 2: Explaining the other arguments support the writer’s position more 4. Reiteration: Restating the writer’s position

What is Discussion text?It is a text which present a problematic discourse. This problem will be discussed from different viewpoints. Discussion is commonly found in philosophical, historic, and social text.

Generic Structure of Discussion text:* Statement of issue; stating the issue which is to discussed* List of supporting points; presenting the point in in supporting the presented issue* List of contrastive point; presenting other points which disagree to the supporting point* Recommendation; stating the writer' recommendation of the discourse

What is Explanation text?a text which tells processes relating to forming of natural, social, scientific and cultural phenomena. Explanation text is to say 'why' and 'how' of the forming of the phenomena. It is often found in science, geography and history text books.

Generic structure of Explanation text? * General statement; stating the phenomenon issues which are to be explained. * Sequenced explanation; stating a series of steps which explain the phenomena.

What is the generic structure of Narrative text?The most common structure is: * an opening that establishes setting and introduces characters; * a complication and resulting events; * a resolution/ending.

The purpose of Narrative text: The essential purpose of narrative is to tell a story, but the detailed purpose may vary according to genre. For example, the purpose of a myth is often to explain a natural phenomenon and a legend is often intended to pass on cultural traditions or beliefs.